McAuliffe, from the Celebrities and Prizefighters series (N174) for Old Judge Cigarettes
1887–88
Medium
Albumen photograph
Dimensions
sheet: 2 11/16 x 1 3/8 in. (6.9 x 3.5 cm)
Classification
Photographs|Ephemera
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, Gift of Jefferson R. Burdick
Accession Number
63.350.215.174.15
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the late 19th-century world of tobacco advertising and prizefighting glory with *McAuliffe, from the Celebrities and Pefighters series (N) for Old Judge Cigarettes*. Produced by Goodwin & Company with photography by J. Wood around 1887–88, this tiny albumen print (just 2 11/16 x 1 3/8 inches) captures the stern portrait of a male boxer, embodying the era's obsession with athletic heroes. Issued as collectible inserts in Old Judge cigarette packs, these cards turned everyday smokes into portals to fame, blending commerce with celebrity culture during boxing's golden age of bare-knuckl...
About the Artist
Goodwin & Company|J. Wood · 1850–1950
**Goodwin & Company (ca. 1850–1950)** Goodwin & Company, originally established as E. Goodwin and Brother before the American Civil War, emerged as a prominent New York City-based tobacco manufacturer in the mid-19th century. Operating from the bustling heart of Manhattan, the firm built its reputation on popular cigarette brands such as Gypsy Queen and, most notably, Old Judge, which became syno...